Chessy
English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Indian Formation
After 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6, you are heading for a familiar fianchetto setup as Black. The position is not equal in the engine’s eyes, but it is close enough that accurate play matters more than memorising long lines. In the drill below, you will practise meeting White’s most direct tries and steering the game into a structure you understand. The main question is simple: can you keep your pieces active and solve White’s central pressure?
Play the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Indian Formation against the engine
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Play the drill now and test whether you can handle White’s most common plans. Create a free account to start training this opening.
Create a free account →What the engine wants here
Stockfish rates this +0.33, a small edge for White. That means you are slightly worse here.
That is not a disaster, but it does mean you should play with care. Your setup aims for a solid king’s-indian style structure, so the key is not to drift passively. Keep your development sensible, watch White’s central expansion, and be ready to answer the first serious challenge to the centre.
The move that matters most
The engine’s best move here is d4. The listed continuation is d4 Bg7 Nc3 d5.
That tells you what Black is trying to meet: White grabs space, and you respond by finishing the fianchetto and challenging the centre. In this kind of position, the opening battle is usually about timing. If you react cleanly, you get a playable game; if you fall behind in development or allow White too much freedom, the small edge can become annoying.
What the database says
Across 372,621 games at this exact position, the results are very balanced: White wins 48.3%, draws 4.3%, and Black wins 47.3%.
That spread fits the engine verdict. White scores a little better, but Black scores plenty of wins too, so this is a practical opening choice if you like sound, flexible positions. The most important habit is to stay alert from the first move after the opening moves have been played.
White’s main tries you should expect
The most-played continuations are Nc3 (127,186 games, White scores 49.3%), d4 (103,780 games, White scores 47.6%), g3 (80,425 games, White scores 50.0%), e3 (20,571 games, White scores 44.7%), b3 (20,396 games, White scores 47.3%), and d3 (8,139 games, White scores 45.6%).
You do not need to panic about every choice. Just recognise that White can aim for a quick centre, a kingside fianchetto, or a quieter development scheme. Your job is to stay flexible and meet the centre with the right pawn breaks and piece development when the moment comes.
Results across 372,621 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| Nc3 | 127,186 | 49.3% |
| d4 | 103,780 | 47.6% |
| g3 | 80,425 | 50.0% |
| e3 | 20,571 | 44.7% |
| b3 | 20,396 | 47.3% |
| d3 | 8,139 | 45.6% |
Frequently asked questions
Is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Indian Formation good for Black?
It is playable, but the engine gives White a small edge with +0.33. So this is not an opening where Black is claiming an advantage; you are aiming for a solid game and good piece play.
What is the main move I should prepare for as Black?
The engine’s best move here is d4, and the listed continuation is d4 Bg7 Nc3 d5. That is the key central idea to understand in this position.
What should I expect from White most often?
The most-played continuations are Nc3, d4, g3, e3, b3, and d3. White can choose an active central setup or a quieter development, so you should be ready for both.
What do the results say about this position?
In 372,621 games, White wins 48.3%, draws 4.3%, and Black wins 47.3%. That means the position is very playable, but White has a slight statistical edge.
How many games feature the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Indian Formation?
Over 372K Lichess games have reached the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Indian Formation position. White wins 48.3%, Black wins 47.3%, with 4.3% draws — based on real rated games.